COVER STORY
Honoring Wheaton’s Marget Hamilton
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I want to share the life stories of some amazing DuPage County women, beginning with Marget Hamilton, Wheaton’s first female Councilwoman and Mayor.
Hamilton first became active in politics when she stood up for Asian-American children who were being denied entry into a local public pool during World War II.
In 1955, she founded Wheaton’s Chapter of the League of Women Voters. (You’ll find her charming account of that experience here.) She was elected city commissioner in 1959 and became Wheaton’s first female mayor in 1969. During her time in office, she led implementation of Wheaton’s non-discriminatory housing ordinance, the first of its kind in Illinois.
Hamilton played a major role in the the transformation of the abandoned Chicago, Aurora and Elgin railroad right-of-way into the Illinois Prairie Path – America’s first successful rails-to-trails conversion. She also joined forces with the League of Women Voters in a successful effort to shift Wheaton’s local government to a council-manager form, led by a city manager who reports to the mayor and City Council.
Hamilton went on to serve as Director of College of DuPage’s Older Adult Institute, a post she held for more than 20 years until her retirement at the age of 93.
So the next time you’re driving through Wheaton and come upon Hamilton Court, Drive or Way, I hope you will remember one of DuPage County’s trailblazers. Also, please stop by Wheaton’s We Are Women Art Exhibit to see works by local female artists at some of your favorite women-owned or -managed businesses in Downtown Wheaton.
“If you are afraid, you’ll never accomplish anything.”
Marget Hamilton, June 27, 1915 – Nov. 22, 2019